I briefly browsed through a series of independent memoirs, hoping to use them to illustrate some of the characteristics of my friend's intelligence, but found it difficult to select the examples I needed. Therefore, in the process of solving these cases,

Although Holmes used his wonderful analytical reasoning methods to his fullest extent and confirmed the importance of his unique and charming investigation methods, however, the cases themselves were often trivial or even very ordinary.

I feel that there is really no need to introduce it to the readers. But on the other hand, this kind of situation often happens. He participated in the detection of some unique dramatic and bizarre cases, but the role he played in the detection process was not satisfactory.

It is my wish to write a successor to him. I have previously written about a small case of "Exploring the Secret of the Letter in Scarlet", and later a case about the crash of the sailboat "Gloria Scott". These are all

Cases that will forever amaze historians are like cases of rocks and whirlpools. The case I am going to record now, although my friend Sherlock Holmes did not play a very important role in solving the case, the whole case is amazing. I think

It would be a pity if you omit it and don't remember it.

It was an unusually hot and rainy day in July. Our curtains were half drawn, and Holmes was curled up on the sofa, reading over and over a letter he had received in the morning. Because I had served in India.

Military service has made me intolerant of cold but heat, so the thermometer is close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and I don't feel uncomfortable at all. But today's newspaper is really not interesting at all. Parliament has been adjourned and people have to evacuate.

City. I longed to travel to open spaces in lush forests or to the pebbled beaches of the South China Sea. But due to my limited savings, I had to postpone my vacation. For my friend Holmes, whether it was in the countryside or on the seaside,

, can't arouse his interest. He likes to hang out in cities with a population of 5 million. He is especially enthusiastic about any small rumors or suspicions about unsolved cases that occur in the middle. However, he has no special interest in appreciating nature.

, Holmes' only change of taste was to visit his brother in the countryside.

The Holmes in front of me was too focused to talk, so I threw the boring newspaper aside, leaned back on my chair and fell into thinking, but my thoughts were interrupted by Holmes who suddenly spoke.

"Watson, you have a very good idea," said Holmes. "It seems absurd to adopt this method of resolving disputes."

"It's so ridiculous!" I said loudly, but I suddenly realized how my friend could sense what I was thinking. I sat upright and looked at him in bewilderment and wonder.

"My friend, what is going on?" I cried. "This is beyond my expectation."

Holmes burst out laughing when he saw my confused look.

"You remember not long ago," said he, "I read to you a passage from Edgar Allan Poe, in which he said that a careful reasoner could detect the thoughts of his companions.

Thoughts, you felt that this matter was just a clever fiction by the author. When I said at that time that in fact I also had the habit of doing this, you showed doubts. "

"I didn't say that!"

"My dear Watson, you may not have expressed it in words, but you have already revealed it in your brows. Therefore, when I see you drop the newspaper and fall into thinking, I am very happy that you have the opportunity to explore your thoughts.

Finally, I interrupted your thoughts to prove that I guessed your idea."

But his explanation still didn't satisfy me.

"In the story you read to me," I said, "the reasoner came to the conclusion by observing the man's actions. If I remember correctly, a pile of rocks tripped the man, and he looked up.

Looking at the stars in the sky, there are some other actions. But I am sitting on the chair without moving at all, what clues can you find?"

"Your judgment about yourself is incorrect. Human facial features are direct tools for emotional expression, and your facial features are loyal servants to perform this duty."

"You mean, you can see my series of thoughts from my face?"

"Yes, judging from your face, especially your eyes. You may not be able to remember how you fell into deep thought?"

"Yes, I really can't remember."

"Then let me tell you. You dropped the newspaper, and this action caught my attention at the time. Then, you sat there in a daze for half a minute. Then, your eyes stared at the newly framed photo of you.

When you look at the portrait of the general, I can tell from the change in your facial expression that you have begun to think about something, but what you are thinking is not far away. Later, the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher on your bookshelf

The portrait comes into view again. Then, you look up at the wall again. Of course, your meaning is obvious. You are thinking that if you also put a frame on this portrait, it can be hung in this empty space.

On the wall, it hangs side by side with the Gordon portrait."

"Ah, you are really following my thoughts!" I exclaimed.

"I've almost never made a mistake so far! Then, your thoughts returned to Beecher. You looked at his portrait attentively, as if you were exploring his character from his appearance. Then you relaxed your brows

, but you are still looking at it, a state of contemplation appeared on your face. Obviously you are recalling what Beecher experienced. Regarding Beecher's mission on behalf of the North during the Civil War, I am sure you will think of it at this time.

As I had not forgotten that you had expressed a strange indignation at his treatment, and the impression it had made on you was so deep and strong, I knew you would not be able to ignore it once you thought of Beecher. After a few minutes,

I noticed that you looked away from the portrait, and I thought your thoughts began to turn to the civil war. When I saw that your lips were tightly closed, your eyes were focused, and your hands were clenched into fists, I believed that you were caught in a fight between the two sides.

In the fierce battle of desperate struggle, I was infected by the heroic spirit they showed. But then your face gradually darkened again, and you couldn't help but shook your head. I saw that you were imagining the tragedy and horror of the war at this time.

and the innocent people who died and were injured. One of your hands slowly moved to your old scar, and a smile appeared on your lips. I could tell that you were thinking that it was really ridiculous to adopt such a solution to international problems.

.On this point, I agree with you. This is indeed ridiculous. I am happy to know that there is no error in my set of inferences."

"Exactly!" I said, "You have explained it clearly now, but my level of surprise is no less than before."

"Ha, dear Watson, this is very superficial. I assure you that if you hadn't expressed some doubts that day, I would not have interrupted your thoughts. The breeze is so comfortable tonight. Let's go to London together.

What do you think of taking a stroll on the street?"

I was tired of the small living room, so I happily agreed. We had about three hours to wander Fleet Street and the riverside, watching the ever-changing scenes of life like the tides. Holmes alone

The unique discussion, keen observation of details and wonderful reasoning ability all made people fascinated and full of fun. We did not return to Baker Street until 10 o'clock. But in front of our apartment, there was a four-wheel drive waiting for us.

Wheel bridge carriage.

"Oh! I see, this carriage belongs to a doctor, and he is an ordinary doctor." Holmes said, "It has not been long since he opened his business, but his business is still booming. I think he came to us to discuss things. We

Just in time to come back!”

I am familiar with Holmes's investigative techniques, and it is easier to understand his reasoning. There is a wicker basket hanging under the car's interior light, which contains various medical tools. I know that Holmes's quick judgment is based on the types and conditions of these medical tools.

. Judging from the light in our window upstairs, this night visitor was indeed here to see us. I couldn't help but wonder: "What happened to this colleague that made him come to visit us at such a moment?"

I followed Holmes into the apartment.

There was a man sitting on the chair by the fireplace. He was pale and haggard, with a pointed and thin face and a khaki beard. He noticed that we came in from the outside and stood up from the chair in a hurry. He was about three years old.

He is thirteen or fourteen years old, but his poor complexion and haggard appearance show that his energy is being exhausted by life, which has taken away his youthful atmosphere in advance. He behaves shyly, as if he is an extremely sensitive person.

A gentleman, but when he stood up, the slender and white hand on the mantelpiece looked more like an artist's hand than a surgeon's. His clothes were simple and dim -

Wearing a black dress coat, a dull-colored tie, and a pair of dark trousers.

"Good evening, doctor!" Holmes said cheerfully, "I understand that you have just waited a few minutes, and I am very glad."

"Have you spoken to my coachman?"

"No, it was the candle on the table next to me that told me. Please sit down. You're welcome. Do you have anything to do with me?"

"My name is Percy Trevelyan, and I am a doctor." The visitor introduced himself, "I live at 403 Brook Street."

"Are you the author of "Unexplained Nerve Injury"?" I asked in a friendly manner.

When he heard that I knew his works, he was very excited, and his pale cheeks actually turned a light blush.

"I rarely hear people talk about this book. The publisher told me that the sales of this book were not very good. I thought no one knew about it!" The visitor said, "I thought you were also a doctor?

"

"Yes, I am a retired military surgeon."

"I am very interested in neurology, and I would like to study it specially, but it is natural for a man to do the work he can start. Oh, this is a digression. Mr. Sherlock Holmes,

I know your time is very valuable, so I'll get straight to the point. Recently, a series of particularly weird things happened in my apartment on Brook Street. As of tonight, these things have reached an extremely serious point. I think it must not be allowed.

If I delay any longer, I must come and ask for your help immediately."

My friend Sherlock Holmes sat down in a nearby chair and lit his pipe.

"I welcome help," said Holmes. "Please tell me in detail about the things that make you feel strange."

"There are one or two points here that are not worth mentioning," Trevelyan said. I feel ashamed when I mention these. But this matter is extremely strange, and it has become more and more complicated in recent days. I

I have to put everything in front of you to facilitate your detection.

First of all, I have to say something about my university life. I was a student at the University of London, and I think if I tell you, I was considered by my professors to be a promising student.

, you don’t think I’m bragging! After graduation, I worked at the Royal University Hospital, holding a not very important position, and continued to devote myself to my research work. I was lucky, and my knowledge of the pathology of cataleptic syncope

The research attracted great interest from people. I wrote a monograph on nerve damage, which your friend just mentioned, and won the Bruce Pinkerton Prize and Medal. I will tell you truthfully that at that time everyone thought that I

The future is unlimited.

However, the biggest obstacle before me was the lack of funds. You should understand that if any expert wants to be famous, he must operate on one of the 12 streets in Cavendish Square.

He needs to have ample funds to pay for the huge rent and equipment costs. In addition to this start-up fee, he must also prepare enough savings to sustain his living expenses for several years, and he also needs to rent a decent carriage and horse.

It is indeed beyond my ability to achieve this. I can only live frugally and hope to save up in 10 years, and then start practicing medicine. However, something unexpected happened and opened up a way for me.

A new situation.

This was the visit of a gentleman, his name was Plessington. Plessington and I were strangers to each other. One morning, he suddenly walked into my room and stated the purpose of his visit in a straightforward manner.

'Are you the newly awarded Sir Percy Trevelyan, who has achieved outstanding results?' he said.

I nodded to him.

'I hope to get your frank answer to my question.' He continued, 'You will find that doing so will be very beneficial to you because you are talented and will become an accomplished and outstanding person. Do you know that?'

I couldn't help laughing when I heard such an abrupt question.

'I'm sure I'll do my best,' I said.

'Do you have any bad habits? Like drinking?'

No, sir! I said loudly and confidently.

'That's great! That's great! But I have to ask, why don't you start your own practice if you're so talented?'

I shrugged.

'Yes, yes!' he said hurriedly, 'it's not surprising that although your head is full of high-quality things, your pocket is flat, isn't it? If I help you open a business in Brook Street,

Do you have any opinion?'

I stared at him in surprise.

'Oh, this is for my personal benefit, not just for you.' He said loudly and brightly, I am very frank with you, and I don't think there is any need to hide it. If you think it is suitable, then it will be even more suitable for me. I

I have prepared an investment of several thousand pounds. You know, I think I can definitely invest it in you.

‘Why on earth is this?’ I asked hurriedly.

'Well, it's just like any other venture, but safer.'

'So, what do you need me to do?'

'Of course I will tell you, I will help you rent a house, buy furniture, hire a maid, and take care of everything. Your task is just to sit in the clinic and treat patients. I will provide you with pocket money and anything else you need. Then

, you give me 3/4 of your profit, and the remaining 1/4 belongs to you.'

This was the strange suggestion Plessington made to me, Mr. Holmes, and I will not bore you with the details of how we negotiated and concluded the deal. Later, on the Feast of the Annunciation, I moved into this apartment.

, and opened the business in compliance with the conditions he proposed. He himself came to live with me as a patient in the hospital, as he had a weak heart and it was obvious that he needed constant treatment.

The two best rooms on the second floor belong to him, one is used as a living room, and the other is used as a bedroom. He lives in seclusion, has a weird temper, and lives an irregular life, but in a certain respect, it is uniquely regular.

, at the same time every night, he would come to my clinic to look through the accounts. For every guinea of ​​consultation fees I earned, he would give me 5 shillings and 3 pence, and he would take all the rest.

, put it in the safe in his house.

I can confidently say that he will always be proud of himself for this speculation business. The business has been very good from the beginning, and I have successfully handled several difficult cases. Coupled with my reputation in the affiliated hospital, I will soon be out of business.

In the past few years, I have made him a complete rich man.

That is all I have to say about my previous experience and my relations with Mr. Plessington. Mr. Holmes, I have only one question left to you, and that is what I am here to ask for tonight.

Something happened.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Plessington came downstairs to me. It seemed to me that he was very excited. He was talking about some burglaries that had happened in the West End. In fact, there was no need for him to be so excited.

It was suggested that we should strengthen and bolt all the doors and windows immediately. During this week, he seemed restless and often looked out the window. His usual habit of taking a short walk before lunch was also cancelled. His gestures conveyed to me a

The impression was that he was scared to death of something or someone. When I asked him about it with concern, he became very rude, so I stopped talking about it. Time passed day by day, and his

The fear seemed to have gradually disappeared, and he was the same as before. But an incident that had just happened recently plunged him into his current pitiful and despicable state.

The thing is this: I received a letter two days ago, and now I will give you this letter of faith. There is no address or date on the letter.

A Russian aristocrat living in England urgently needed to see Dr. Percy Trevelyan. He had been suffering from catalepsy for several years, and Dr. Trevelyan was a specialist in treating such diseases.

A well-known authority. He plans to go to see a doctor at around 6:45 tomorrow evening. If it is convenient for Dr. Trevelyan, please wait at the clinic.

I was very interested in this letter, for the chief difficulty in the study of cataleptic disease is that the disease is extremely rare. So when at the appointed time the boy came in to bring the patient in, I was waiting quietly in the consulting room.

He was an ordinary-looking old man, with a thin build and reserved behavior. He was not at all like the Russian aristocrat I imagined. However, I was deeply impressed by his companion, who was a tall and tall young man.

He was very handsome with a dark complexion, but he had a fierce look, with the limbs and chest of Hercules. When they entered the door, he carefully supported one of the old man's arms with his hand, and kept supporting the old man until

He sat down on the chair and acted considerate, which was hard to tell just from his appearance.

'Doctor, please forgive us for our rash visit.' He said in English, speaking not very clearly, 'This is my father, and his health is a very important matter to me.'

I was very touched to see him being so filial. I said, 'Perhaps you would like to stay in the consulting room during the diagnosis and treatment?'

'Oh, no.' He almost screamed, 'I can't bear this kind of pain. If I were allowed to witness the terrible appearance of my father when he was ill, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to bear it, and my nervous system would also be abnormal.

Sensitive. If you allow me, I will wait in the waiting room while you treat my father!'

I naturally agreed to what he did, and then the young man went out. So I began to understand and study the patient's condition, and made very detailed records. The old man's intelligence was average, and he often answered questions vaguely. I thought

This is because he doesn’t understand English very well. However, when I was sitting taking down medical records, he suddenly stopped answering my questions. When I turned to him, I was surprised to see him sitting stiffly on his chair.

There was no expression on his face, his muscles were stiff, and his eyes were staring straight at me. Oh, maybe he was sick again.

As I said, I was pity and fear at first, but then my professional interests took over. I took down the patient's pulse and temperature, tested the tonicity of his muscles, and examined his body.

The response ability is completely consistent with the cases I have diagnosed in the past. In previous cases like this, I used alkyl nitrite inhalants, and the effect was very good. Now it seems that it is the best time to test its effect.

I put this medicine bottle in the laboratory downstairs, so I temporarily left the patient on the chair and quickly ran downstairs to get the medicine. It took me about 5 minutes to find the medicine, and then I ran back right away.

But the room was empty and the patient was gone. In fact, you can't imagine how surprised I was at that time.

Of course, I immediately ran to the waiting room, but his son was also missing. The front door was closed, but not locked. My little guy who was responsible for receiving patients was a newcomer and was not very smart. He usually waits in the waiting room.

Downstairs, after hearing me ringing the bell in the clinic, he ran upstairs to take the patient out. He didn't hear or see anything happen, so the matter became a mystery. It didn't take long,

Mr. Plessington came back from his walk, but I did not mention the matter to him, for, to tell the truth, I had been avoiding conversation with him of late.

Oh, I thought I would never see the old Russian man and his son again. But tonight, at that time, they came to my clinic again just like yesterday. At that time, you can easily guess how surprised I was.

.

'I'm so sorry for leaving yesterday without saying goodbye, doctor,' said my patient.

'I won't deny it, this thing makes me feel very strange.' I said.

'Oh, the situation is like this.' He said, 'Every time I wake up from an illness, my memory of everything that happened at that time is always very vague. I feel like when I wake up, I am in a strange room.

After you left, I got up and walked out in a daze, until I walked to the street.'

'As for me,' his son continued, 'I saw my father walking out of the waiting room, and of course I thought the treatment was over. It wasn't until we got home that I understood the truth.'

'Well,' I said with a smile, 'you have only confused me a little, but nothing more. So, sir, if you are willing to come to the waiting room, I will be happy to continue the treatment where we suddenly interrupted yesterday.'

It took about half an hour for the old man and I to discuss his condition. Later, I wrote a prescription for him. Then, I saw him walking out with the support of his son.

I have told you that Mr. Plessington usually went out for a walk at this time. Soon after, he came back from his walk and went upstairs. He had only been up for a few minutes when he suddenly ran downstairs like a man.

People who were frightened and crazy rushed straight into my consulting room.

‘Who went to my house?’ he shouted hysterically.

'No one has ever been in there,' I replied.

'Lie!' he roared angrily, 'go up and take a look!'

I didn't pay attention to the rudeness of his words, because he was almost crazy with fright. When I went upstairs with him, he pointed out to me some footprints left on the light-colored carpet.

‘Can you say these footprints are mine?’ he shouted.

This footprint is obviously much larger than his, and it is obviously a new one. As you know, it just rained heavily at noon today, and my patient only visited the father and son just now. So, it must have been while I was busy working on that

When the old man was diagnosed, the young man waiting in the waiting room secretly went upstairs and entered my inpatient's room for unknown purposes. He didn't touch anything or take anything, but these footprints showed that someone had indeed come in.

Pass.

Although it was an annoying thing, Mr. Plessington was too restless. He sat in an armchair and kept shouting. I couldn't get him to tell the story any further.

Be more clear. It was Mr. Plessington who suggested that I come to you. Naturally, I immediately felt that this was the most appropriate thing to do. Although he took this matter a little too seriously, it is not difficult to suspect that there is something hidden in it.

Secret. As long as you go back with me in my carriage, at least you can calm Mr. Plessington down. Of course, I hope you can answer the question for us about this strange thing that happened.

My friend Holmes listened attentively to this lengthy statement, and I could see that he was taking a keen interest in the matter. His face was as expressionless as ever, but his eyes were narrowed more and more.

, the smoke rising from his pipe became thicker and thicker, making each of the bizarre plots in the doctor's story more prominent. As soon as the doctor finished speaking, Holmes stood up and took my

He handed the hat to me, then picked up his own hat from the table, and followed Dr. Trevelyan towards the door. Within a quarter of an hour, we arrived at the door of the doctor's apartment on Brook Street. A small man

The waiter led us in, and we immediately stepped onto the wide staircase covered with fine carpets.

However, something strange suddenly happened and we had to stop. The lights on the roof suddenly went out, and a high-pitched and trembling cry came from the darkness:

"Don't go up! I have a pistol, and I'm warning you I'll shoot you if you go any further."

"Mr. Plessington, this is intolerable," Dr. Trevelyan shouted.

"Oh, doctor, it turns out to be you." The man seemed to be relieved, "But isn't the person next to you a fake?"

We understood that he had carefully observed us in the dark.

"Yes, yes, absolutely correct." The voice finally said with relief, "Please come up. I'm very sorry. I was so rude to you just now."

As he spoke, he relit the gas lamp on the stairs and found a strange-looking man standing in front of us. Judging from his appearance and voice, he was indeed extremely nervous. He was very fat, but obviously thinner than before.

He looked a lot fatter, because his face was like a hound's cheeks, with two sagging flesh bags. His face had no color at all, and the sparse khaki hair on his head stood up as if because of emotion. His hands

He held a pistol in his pocket. As we walked up, he stuffed the pistol into his pocket.

"Good night, Mr. Holmes!" he said. "I am sincerely grateful for your coming. I need your advice more than anyone else. I think Dr. Trevelyan has already solved the problem of someone breaking into my room illegally."

Told you."

"Yes," said Holmes. "Who are they, Mr. Plessington? Why did they deliberately play a trick on you?"

"Alas, alas!" said Mr. Plessington uneasily. "Of course, this is not easy to say, and you can hardly expect me to answer such a question, Mr. Holmes."

"Are you saying you didn't know anything about it?"

"Please come here, please! Please be kind enough to come in for a while."

He took us into his bedroom, which was spacious and comfortable.

"Take a look at this." There was a big black box beside his bed. He pointed at it and said, "Mr. Holmes, I am not a very rich man. Dr. Trevelyan may have told you. In my life,

I have only invested this one time, and there have been no other investment projects. But I don’t trust bankers. I never trust bankers, Mr. Holmes. Please keep it a secret for me. All my banknotes are locked in this black box. So you don’t

It’s hard to imagine what an impact it would have on me when an uninvited guest broke into my room!”

Holmes looked at Plessington doubtfully and shook his head.

"If you want to deceive me, I can't give you any advice," said Holmes.

"But I've told you everything."

Holmes waved his hand grimly, turned around and said, "Good night, Dr. Trevelyan."

"Won't you give me some advice?" cried Plessington in a trembling voice.

"My advice to you is to tell the truth, sir."

A minute later, we were on our way home. We walked through Oxford Street, and when we crossed Harley Street, I heard Holmes finally speak.

"Watson, I'm really sorry to bring you out here for such a fool," Holmes said, "but overall, this is still a relatively interesting case."

"I didn't see it at all." I admitted frankly. "Oh, obviously, there are two people, maybe more people, but at least two people. They are determined to find the common people for some reason.

Old fellow Lexington. I am certain in my mind that the young man broke into Pleasington's room on both occasions, and that his associates used a clever trick to prevent the doctor from intervening."

"But how do you explain catalepsy?"

"Watson, that's false. I don't want to say too much for our experts in this regard. It's very easy to pretend to be sick. I've done it myself."

"Then what happened next?"

"It was a coincidence that Plessington was not indoors both times. They chose this time to see the doctor because they obviously knew there were no other patients in the waiting room. However, this time happened to be Plessington's walking time, which means they

I understand Plessington's daily habits. Of course, if they were just for theft, they would at least try to search for the property. At the same time, I could see from his eyes that he was scared out of his mind. It's hard to believe that he

He has made two enemies like this, and he doesn't know it. Therefore, I believe he knows the identities of these two people, but he deliberately concealed them for his own reasons. Maybe he will reveal the truth tomorrow."

"Is there another scenario?" I said. "It is, no doubt, even improbable, but it is conceivable. Is it possible that Dr. Trevelyan had his own evil intentions and got into Plessington?"

In the room, you deliberately made up a story about this cataleptic patient and his son?"

I saw in the light that Holmes chuckled at my thought.

"My dear Watson," said Holmes, "I thought so at first, but I soon confirmed the doctor's story. On the carpet of the stairs the young man had left his own footprints, so that he

There is no need for me to look at those footprints indoors. I only need to tell you that they are square-toed shoes, not pointed shoes like Plessington's, and they are 1.3 inches longer than the doctor's shoes. You

It will be clear and unquestionable that there is such a young man. But having said that, we can go to sleep peacefully. If there is no new situation from Brook Street tomorrow morning, it will make me wonder!"

The prediction of my friend Sherlock Holmes soon came true, and it was full of drama. At 7:30 the next morning, in the dim light of dawn, I saw Holmes in his dressing gown standing beside my bed.

"Watson, there is a carriage waiting for us outside!" Holmes said.

"what's going on?"

"It's about Brook Street."

"What's new?"

"It's a tragedy, but I can't tell for sure," said Holmes, drawing up the curtains. "Look at this note. It was torn from a notebook. On it was written hastily in pencil: For God's sake.

Come at once, Percy Trevelyan. You can see that the doctor was in a very bad situation when he wrote this note. Come with me, my dear Watson, the situation is more urgent."

About a quarter of an hour later, we rushed back to the doctor's apartment, and he ran down to greet us with a look of horror on his face.

"Oh God, something like this happened!" He covered the sides of his head with his hands and shouted loudly.

"What happened?"

"Plessington committed suicide!"

My friend Holmes whistled.

"Really, he hanged himself last night."

We walked in, and the doctor took the two of us into the waiting room.

"I really don't know what I should do," he said loudly. "The police are upstairs now. I'm really scared."

"When did you find out?"

"Mr. Plessington was in the habit of drinking tea every morning, and about seven o'clock, when the maid came in with her usual cup of tea, she saw the poor man hanging in the middle of the room. A rope was tied to him.

He was tied to the hook on which the heavy gas lamp was usually hung, and then he jumped off the top of the box, the same black box he showed us yesterday, and hanged himself."

Holmes stood thinking for a moment.

"With your permission," said Holmes at last, "I should like to go upstairs and investigate the matter."

Holmes and I then went upstairs, followed closely by the doctor.

We had just entered the bedroom door when we were faced with a horrific scene. I have mentioned the flabby look of Plessington's muscles, which became more intense and ugly as he hung precariously from the hook.

He no longer even looked human. His neck was stretched very long, like a plucked chicken neck. In comparison, the rest of his body seemed to be fatter. He only wore a long t-shirt.

Under the pajamas, a pair of ugly feet and swollen ankles were exposed. Next to the dead body, a capable detective stood taking notes.

"Oh, Mr. Holmes," the Sheriff said warmly as soon as my friend entered the room, "I'm so glad to see you."

"Good morning, Lenore!" Holmes replied, "I don't think you think I am a criminal who broke into this house, do you? You must have heard about some of the circumstances before this case occurred."

"Yes, I have heard some." "What do you think?"

"As far as I can see, the deceased was frightened out of his mind. You see, there are deep indentations on this bed, indicating that he slept for a while. As you know, suicide usually occurs around 5 o'clock in the morning.

The most common hour. It was probably at this hour that he hanged himself. Presumably, he chose to do so after a lot of mental struggle."

"Judging from the stiffness of his muscles, he has been dead for about three hours," I said.

"Did you notice anything unusual in the house?" Holmes asked.

"Beside the sink, I saw some screws and a screwdriver. He seemed to have smoked a lot at night. I picked up these four cigar butts from the fireplace."

"Oh!" said Holmes, "has his cigar holder been found?"

"No, I didn't find it."

"What about his cigarette case?"

"Yes, it's in his coat pocket."

Holmes opened the cigarette box and smelled one of the cigars.

"Oh, it's a Havana cigarette, and the ones on the mantelpiece are special varieties imported by the Dutch from their East Indian colonies. You should know that these cigars are usually fully wrapped in straw and are thinner than other brands.

." He took out a magnifying glass from his pocket and examined the four cigarette butts.

"Two of the cigarettes were smoked with cigarette holders, and the other two were not," Holmes said. "Two cigarette butts were cut off with a not-so-sharp knife, and the other two cigarette butts were bitten off with sharp teeth.

Mr. Rannore, this is not a suicide but a carefully planned and brutal murder."

"How is that possible?" the police chief shouted.

"Why?"

"Then why would people use hanging, such a stupid method to murder?"

"This is what we need to investigate."

"How did they get in?"

"Come in through the front door."

"The door was locked this morning."

"The door was locked after they left."

"How did you know?"

"I found the traces they left behind. Please wait a moment and I can explain to you its further situation."

Holmes walked to the door, tried to turn the lock, and checked it carefully. Then he took out the key inserted on the back of the door and checked it carefully. Then the bed, chairs, carpets, and fireplace

He inspected the platform, the body and the ropes one by one in an orderly manner. He finally said it was OK. With the help of me and the police chief, he cut the ropes, placed Plessington's body on the ground, and covered it with a sheet.

.

"Where did this rope come from?" he asked.

"Cut it from the top." Dr. Trevelyan pulled out a large coil of rope from under the bed and said, "He is very afraid of fire, so he always has this thing nearby to prevent the stairs from being burned, so that he can immediately climb out of the window.

Get out."

"This thing saved the murderers a lot of trouble." Holmes said thoughtfully, "Yes, the facts of the case are very obvious. It would be abnormal if I can't tell you the reason for the crime by this afternoon.

I'm going to take with me this picture of Plessington on the mantelpiece, which will be very helpful in my investigation."

"But you told us nothing!" cried the doctor.

"Oh, it's very clear what happened." Holmes said, "It included three people: the young man, the old man and the third person. As for the identity of the third party, my clues are not clear yet. The first two people don't need to

I say, it is the old man and his son who are disguised as Russian nobles, so that we can explain their situation in detail. There is an accomplice of theirs in this house, who let them in. Suppose I

If I can give you a piece of advice, Sheriff, please arrest the young guy. As far as I know, he is new to your clinic, doctor."

"I don't know where this little boy has gone," Trevelyan said. "Neither the maid nor the cook found him just now."

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

"The role he played in this case was not insignificant," said Holmes. "It was obvious that the three men went up the stairs on tiptoe. The old man opened the way in front, the young man walked in the middle, and the third man walked up the stairs on tiptoe.

The three of them are walking behind..."

"Oh, my dear friend!" I cried suddenly to Holmes.

Ah, there are piles of footprints, it must be! I can definitely identify their footprints last night. After that, they went upstairs to Plessington's door, and they saw that the door was locked. Among them

One person can use a piece of wire to turn the key inside. Even without a magnifying glass, you can tell from the scratches on the key's groove where they used the force.

When they broke into the house, they must have gagged Mr. Plessington first. He was either asleep or completely paralyzed with fear and could not scream. In fact, the walls here are very thick, even if he could shout

Even if he calls a few times, no one will hear his cry for help.

Obviously, after they settled Plessington, they started some discussions. Perhaps this discussion had the nature of prosecution, and it must have been going on for a long time, because it was during this time that they took the drug.

A few cigars. Sitting on the wicker chair was the old man, who smoked with a cigar holder; the young man sat a little further away, and he knocked the ashes on the opposite side of the closet; the third person was pacing back and forth in the room.

.I think Plessington was sitting on the bed in fear at this time, but I am not absolutely sure of this.

Finally, they all went together to capture Pleasington and hang him up according to a plan that they had planned in advance. I'm sure they had some kind of pulley with them to use as a gallows. I think that screw

The screwdriver and some screws were used to install the gallows pulley. However, they found the hook, which of course saved a lot of trouble. After they completed these tasks, they quickly slipped away, and their accomplices immediately locked the door.

Already.

Holmes described the case that happened last night in an orderly manner, and we all listened with great interest. We must know that this was all inferred by him based on subtle signs, and when he explained the situation to us one by one, we

We couldn't even catch up with his train of thought. Then, the Sheriff quickly went to look for the boy, and Holmes and I returned to Baker Street for breakfast.

"Watson, I'll be back at three o'clock." After we had just had breakfast, Holmes said: "The police chief and the doctor can come here to see me after three o'clock. I would like to use this time to solve the case.

Some minor issues that are still vague have been clarified.”

At the appointed time, the police chief and the doctor arrived, but Holmes did not show up until 3:45. However, as soon as he entered the door, it was obvious from his expression that things went smoothly.

"Chief, what's the news?"

"That little guy has been caught by us, sir."

"That's great, I found those people too."

"You found them!" the three of us shouted in unison.

"Yes, at least I have found out their details. As I expected, the so-called Mr. Plessington and his enemy are well-known in the police headquarters. Their names are Bedell,

Hayward and Moffat.”

"That's the same gang of robbers who robbed the Worthington bank," the sergeant shouted.

"Exactly," said Holmes.

"Then Plessington must be Sutton."

"Exactly," said Holmes.

"Well, it's clear now," said the sergeant.

But Trevelyan and I were at a loss.

"You must still remember the big robbery that took place at the Worthington Bank." Holmes said, "There were a total of 5 people in the case, namely these 4 people and another man named Cartwright. Cartwright killed the bank custodian.

Tobin, they stole 7,000 pounds and fled. This robbery occurred in 1875. All five of them were arrested, but due to lack of evidence, the case could not be concluded. Sutton, the most vicious of the thieves, was also known as

Plessington reported them. Because of his testimony, Cartwright was sentenced to hanging, and the other three were each sentenced to 15 years in prison. Just a few days ago, they were unexpectedly released early.

You can easily guess that the first thing they have to do is to find the person who betrayed them and avenge their dead accomplice. They tried to find him twice but failed, but they succeeded the third time. Trevi

Doctor Lian, is there anything else that needs explanation?"

"I think everything has been explained very clearly," the doctor said. "I am sure that the reason why he was so frightened and disturbed that day was because he read in the newspaper the news about those people being released early."

"It's absolutely true. He said the theft was just a smokescreen."

"But why didn't he tell you this?"

"Oh, he knew in his heart that those old guys were very vindictive, so he tried his best to hide his identity. It was his shameful secret. How could he leak it himself? However, although he is despicable, he still enjoys the protection of British law

, Sheriff, I can be sure that the sword of justice will still avenge him."

Such was the case with the inpatient and the Brook Street doctor. Since that night, the police had found no trace of the three murderers. According to Scotland Yard's speculation, they were probably aboard the unfortunate "Noracliina"

The ship escaped, but the ship and all the people on board were shipwrecked on the Portuguese coast a few dozen miles north of Porto a few years ago. The prosecution of the boy was not established due to insufficient evidence, and it happened in Brook

This suspicious case on the street has not been reported in detail by any newspaper to this day.

【Legal Commentary】

We won’t go into details about robbing financial institutions. Here we want to focus on the surrender and meritorious service in the sentencing circumstances. Let’s put aside Sutton first, what is the so-called Plessington’s purpose? Let’s talk about him.

Reporting on companions and testifying in court should be encouraged in criminal investigations and trials. The surrender system stipulated in the Criminal Law applies to all crimes, and its purpose is to encourage criminals to voluntarily surrender, repent, and stop committing crimes.

; At the same time, it is also conducive to the timely detection and trial of the case. Article 67 of the "Criminal Law" stipulates: Those who voluntarily surrender to the police after committing a crime and truthfully confess their crimes are surrenders. Criminals who surrender themselves may be given a lighter or reduced punishment.

Among them, those who commit relatively minor crimes can be exempted from punishment; criminal suspects, defendants and criminals serving sentences who have been subject to compulsory measures and truthfully confess their other crimes that the judicial authorities have not yet grasped will be considered to have surrendered. The determination of voluntary surrender can be

The review is carried out from two aspects: one is time; the other is method and motive. The time for voluntary surrender can be before the crime is discovered or after the crime is discovered. The key is that the criminal must voluntarily surrender. The criminal must voluntarily surrender.

Surrender shows that one is willing to plead guilty and repent, and is willing to accept punishment. From the perspective of judicial practice, limiting the time for surrender is too narrow, which is not conducive to breaking up crimes and encouraging criminals to take the road of surrender. First, the method and motivation of surrender. Crime

The criminal surrenders voluntarily out of sincere repentance. Although the criminal is sincere in surrendering, he entrusts others to surrender on his behalf due to injury or illness, or first surrenders by letter or telecom. In short, no matter what method is adopted and the reason is

Any motive is considered a surrender. Second, the criminal must truthfully confess his crime. Third, the criminal must be willing to accept state review and prosecution. In summary, only if the above conditions are met can it be considered a surrender. It must be

Both must be present at the same time, both are indispensable. Only in this way can surrender be complete and systematic.

So what are the legal provisions on meritorious service? According to the provisions of Article 68, paragraph 1, of the Criminal Law: criminals report after they arrive at the case and expose the criminal behavior of others, including criminals in joint crime cases who expose accomplices who jointly commit crimes.

Crimes other than crimes, which have been verified to be true; provided important clues for solving other cases, and have been verified to be true; prevented others from committing criminal activities; assisted judicial organs in arresting other criminal suspects (including co-defendants); have other outstanding achievements that are beneficial to the country and society

If it is performed, it should be deemed as meritorious service. Therefore, meritorious service must meet the following conditions: First, the time of meritorious service. Meritorious service occurs during the criminal proceedings. The criminal exposes and reports the criminal behavior of others, and the judgment is pronounced after he is brought to justice.

Previously. Second, meritorious service. (1) Exposing others’ criminal behavior; (2) Providing important clues, which refers to the criminal providing various criminal clues that are not grasped by the judicial authorities, such as important facts proving the criminal behavior or relevant witnesses, etc.

.In addition to the two types of meritorious service listed in the above-mentioned criminal law, the following situations should also be regarded as meritorious service: (1) assisting judicial organs in arresting other criminals; (2) while in custody, the criminal encounters other detainees committing suicide, escaping, or otherwise

Seriously disrupt the surveillance behavior and report it to the guards in a timely manner; (3) In the event of a natural disaster or accident, work hard to eliminate it, etc. Third, the manifestation of meritorious service: (1) Criminals expose other people’s criminal behavior and have it verified

True; (2) Criminals provide important clues that enable the investigative agencies to detect other cases. Those who have performed meritorious services may be given a lighter or reduced punishment. Those who have performed major meritorious services may be given a reduced or exempted punishment. Those who have committed crimes may surrender themselves after committing the crime.
Chapter completed!